


I've Dreamed of You

by Moonwitted



Series: Worship (The Temple Of Your Body) [1]
Category: Dungeons & Dragons (Roleplaying Game)
Genre: Eating out, F/F, F/M, Fever Dreams, First Time Together, Incomplete, Nightmares, Nonbinary Character, Oral Sex, Other, Poison, Shakespeare, Short Chapters, Yearning, fantasy shakespear, i wrote this like five years ago and im finally ready to post it, lost mines of phandelvar, nervous dialogue
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-07
Updated: 2020-08-07
Packaged: 2021-03-05 22:21:07
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 10
Words: 8,703
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25772743
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Moonwitted/pseuds/Moonwitted
Summary: Prudence and Romulus talk, Prudence Dreams.Prudence likes fantasy shakespeare.The in-laws make a surprise visit.Evelyn belongs to son-of-jack on tumblr, Romulus and Sorrel belong to Leafybones, Arruin belongs to cladogramical (twitter), Lyle belongs to scubbissimo on tumblr.
Relationships: Prudence Theodosia Veralidaine/Everwynn Allegra, Prudence Theodosia Veralidaine/Romulus Greentongue, implied pru/arruin
Series: Worship (The Temple Of Your Body) [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1869523
Comments: 1
Kudos: 2





	1. Through the Walls, I Hear You Playing

**Author's Note:**

> Here is the song Prudence plays for Romulus  
> (Song: https://youtu.be/rYVTojsBF2o )
> 
> Evelyn belongs to son-of-jack on tumblr, Romulus and Sorrel belong to Leafybones, Arruin belongs to cladogramical (twitter), Lyle belongs to scubbissimo on tumblr.

Prudence was surprised, to say the least, when Romulus flirted back the first time, over dinner some weeks after their recovery. She'd made some little quip about a garden and they'd responded with a very un-Romulus-like "I'd like to make your garden grow", and a heavy wink, startling Prudence into silence and a heavy blush. Sorrel, sitting on the table, had tittered at her stunned look.    
  
She'd headed to bed early that night, in a bit of a daze. She barely responded to Arruin's wave and Lyle's call of good night as she left the table.   
  
As she was undressing for bed, she heard a creak in the room next to hers - Romulus's room, and whispered conversation. What sounded like a heated argument, one sided, with Arruin's voice slowly getting louder.    
  
"Be careful... you don't know what she means to do - yes I know but- "   
  
She tapped on the wall, letting them know she could hear them, before blowing out her last lit candle and curling up on her bed, harp in hand. She heard Arruin leave Romulus's room, and plucked a few notes. She could hear Romulus shift, their bed next to the wall shared by the two rooms.    
  
  
  
She continued to play until the song was done, then put the harp down. She pressed her hand to the wall, wondering if Romulus had kept listening. Instead of trying to get their attention, she plucked a few notes here and there, slowly figuring out a melody, one she didn't know before hand. A melody that made her think of new growth, of the orange flowers that grew along the side of her house growing up, of the taste of the nectar she drank from them. Romulus would like those flowers, she thought. She pictured what Romulus would look like in a meadow, surrounded by flora... but no flower she could think of could match the simple beauty in the lines that made up Romulus's face, or the slight curve of their hips.    
  
She heard settling in the other room, a floorboard creak, and set her harp down, slipping out of her room and into the hallway. Romulus's door opened, and they peeked their head out. Prudence caught her breath, and locked eyes with Romulus. She silently closed her door, and slipped into their room.   
  
"I thought plants slept with the sun." She whispered in the darkness, hand hovering over Romulus's arm. "Did I wake you?"   
  
Romulus's voice answered in her head   
  
" that's a very silly question, Pru, and you know it. No, you didn't, I was-"   
  
"Listening?"   
  
She saw them nod, and let her hand rest on their wrist    
  
"Rom, I'm sorry, these past weeks, I know I've been -"   
  
"Please, don't worry. I haven't minded"   
  
Their tone was sincere, and gave Prudence an idea.    
  
"Then... do you mind -?"   
  
She slipped her hand to the back of Romulus's neck, and pulled them down to her, gently pressing her lips to theirs. They stiffened, then relaxed into the sudden kiss, gently , carefully wrapping their arms around her. She responded by slipping her fingers into their hair, and slowly pulling back.    
  
"I've wanted to do that for a while now" she said, softly.    
  
Romulus said nothing, but pulled her in for another kiss. Prudence responded eagerly, and carefully guided them back towards Romulus's bed, until they tumbled down onto it.    
  
She kept her mouth on Romulus's, but slid her hands to their chest, unbuttoning their shirt.   
  
She felt Romulus's alarm, and stopped.    
  
"I'm sorry, hun- do you want me to stop?" Pru whispered, her hands no longer touching Romulus.   
  
"No, Pru, it's fine, I just... slowly, please, take it slowly."   
  
And so she did   
  
Gently, carefully, she traced Romulus's jaw with her lips, drawing shapes with her finger on the exposed skin of their hip, slowly moving her mouth down to their collarbone. One hand rested on Rom's chest, unbuttoning a single button at a time, as Pru explored their body. She could feel Rom's heartbeat quicken as she pressed her lips to their chest, Soft, supple skin beneath her fingertips.    
  
She pulled Romulus up so they were sitting.    
  
"Tell me if you need me to stop. Or tug my ears -" she giggled" that would work too."   
  
She saw Rom swallow, and nod, before she kissed them. As she did, she slipped their shirt off of their shoulders, knowing now their hesitation. She felt scar tissue, each line it's own story. She pulled herself onto Romulus's lap, grabbed their jaw with one hand, feeling them cover their arms, and kissed them greedily, then slipped off her robe before pulling away.    
  
She knew the light of the moon would be enough for Rom to see the patches of silver on her golden skin and raised lines on her chest, her own stories, written into her flesh. She saw their eyes widen.    
  
"Rom, it's nothing to be ashamed of. I understand... do you trust me?"   
  
  
Rom's eyes explored her body, wide with interest. Their hands moved to her hips, touching her gently, with a curiosity she'd not seen before. It made her Shiver, but she let them continue, as they traced the outlines of each patch of silver on her torso.    
  
"You're... beautiful "   
  
The words, instead of ringing inside her head, were whispered in the quietest breath. It sent a jolt of electricity and fire through her veins. To truly hear Rom say that, aloud, even as a whisper? It was as though her god had given her a blessing - and one doesn't simply squander that.    
  
"Rom... so are you. Do you know that? You're beautiful."   
  
Suddenly she found herself below Rom, their lips pressed hungrily to hers, hands held above her head. It set her on fire, this sudden reaction, and she kissed back with equal hunger, feeling Romulus pressed against her. She moaned into their mouth, feeling them drag their nails down her sides, and knotted her fingers in their hair. Rom's lips were on her chest, nipping and sucking at skin, tracing each scar, feeling each dip between ribs, kissing her navel, and dragging their teeth along her pelvic bone.    
  
Pru pulled Rom up, hungrily kissing them again, then flipped them. Somehow, she managed to get their pants unfastened, and got them both out of their clothes.    
  
The touch of bare skin on bare skin brought them back to reality, and they lay next to each other for a moment, catching breath they'd lost to kisses. Pru nestled her head against Roms neck and spoke quietly.   
  
" tell me what you're okay with. I won't go any farther"   
  
"Please-" Romulus breathed out, before returning to mind speech "-don't stop..."   
  
Pru let her hand gently trail down rom's chest, to their navel, and below. She felt their breath hitch as she carefully, slowly, parted their labia, unsurprised at how slick they already were. Her mouth moved down to roms chest, her lips brushing against skin covered now in goosebumps, and began to tongue at Roms nipples. She felt them shudder, and teased them with her fingers, thumbing at their clit and drawing moans from them.    
  
"Pru-" roms voice pleaded in her head "please- don't tease me"   
  
Pru snickered, biting Roms lower lip gently, before trailing her lips down to their navel and resting her head there. She continued to tease their clit with her thumb, looking up at them.    
  
"Tell me what you want me to do, love" she whispered, slipping a finger inside them.    
  
The pleading moan she heard in her head would have been loud enough to wake Arruin, sleeping on the floor above them, had it been out loud. She snickered again.    
  
"Words, love. I know you have a spectacular vocabulary. Please use it"   
  
"Fuck, prudence," Rom's voice chimed in her head. "Eat me, please, I want it so badly-"    
  
"You had me at "eat me", babe" Pru said, chuckling.    
  
She slid down between rom's legs, slipping another finger into them, and felt Rom's fingers knot into her hair as she sucked their clit into her mouth. She could feel their pulse quickening, and bit gently, dragging her teeth along the sensitive skin, reveling in the way Rom writhed in pleasure beneath her, sucking and licking and biting, losing track of time.    
  
All she could think of was Rom, at her mercy, begging for her, whispering the words "you're beautiful," letting her see their scars.Vulnerable. How It made her hunger even more for a companions touch. She wanted to be rough, to tear into Rom, but knew better. She felt herself be consumed by lust as rom's body shook beneath her, insides quivering, as they orgasmed, their nails digging into pru's scalp, panting. And Prudence, satisfied in her own right, pulled herself up onto her elbows, watching Rom catch their breath.   
  
She lightly traced the outline of a flower on Rom's stomach, smiling at the way it raised goosebumps on their skin, then slowly kissed her way back up to their neck and face, leaving one final kiss on their lips, before laying down next to them and nuzzling into their neck.    
  
Rom's arms wrapped around her and they turned onto their side to face her, a shy smile playing across their lips, as their voice chimed in Pru's head.   
  
"would you like me to return the favor?"   
  
Pru giggled, responding in a whisper    
  
"Id like to save that particular treat for another night, if that's alright with you"   
  
Rom nodded, pulling Pru closer. Pru continued to trace the shapes of vines and flora onto their skin as their breath evened out, and they fell into peaceful sleep.    
  
She didn't need to sleep, but she usually enjoyed it. Instead, tonight, she contented her self with feeling the tickle of Rom's breath against her skin, and the steady pulse of their heartbeat. She tugged the covers over them, closed her eyes and let herself drift.    



	2. I'm On My Knees, You Have Me Praying

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> the morning after

  
In the pale light of pre-dawn, Pru's eyes opened slowly. Romulus was no longer holding her, but they were still snuggled close, still in deep sleep. Their lips slightly parted, breath stirring a warm note across Pru's skin. She smiled, smoothing their hair away from their face. The birds outside began to sing of a new day as a ray of light came in from the window, slowly travelling until it came to rest on Romulus. Their skin glowed in an almost ethereal way, and their eyelids fluttered.   
  
"Good morning, beautiful" pru whispered, gently kissing their temple.   
  
The light hit their eyes, and they blinked, looking at prudence with a depth of emotion she couldn't quite decipher. The near blackness of their eyes was almost as beautiful as the void of the night sky that prudence worshipped.   
  
"Good morning" Rom breathed, startling a giggle out of Pru   
  
"I'm almost more surprised when you do that than I was when you first used mind speech with us." She responded, tracing Rom's jawline with a finger. "I've gotta go help the kitchen staff with breakfast. You keep absorbing that sunlight, flowerchild."   
  
Rom chuckled, switching back to mind speech "I'm not an actual plant, you know"   
  
"You're definitely more beautiful than any flower I've ever seen, but with that green tongue of yours, I can't be sure." Prudence teased, slipping out of the bed and into her robe, discarded on the floor the night before.   
  
"I'll see you at breakfast." She said, leaning down to kiss Rom one last time before leaving the room 


	3. Jealous Lover, I Leave You Lonely

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Arruin gets testy; Prudence's patience wears thin.

Prudence knocked on the door to Arruins room, sighing at the lack of response. Breakfast was in a few minutes, and Arruin would miss out on food if she overslept again. Prudence tried the door handle, only a bit surprised to find the it unlocked. The past 12 hours had drained her.of most of her ability to be surprised, and she quietly slipped into Arruins room and closed the door behind her. carefully picking her way to the window, prudence heard Arruins light snoring and rolled her eyes. How did this girl get anything done?    
  
She flung open the curtains and opened the window, letting fresh air into the room, and sending a beam of light directly onto Arruins face, drawing a groan of complaint from the sleeping woman.    
  
"Time to get up, Arruin. You don't want to miss breakfast, do you?" Prudence asked, walking over to the bed and sitting on the edge, feet not touching the floor. She ran her fingers through Arruins hair, brushing it away from her face, then leaned down and nipped the woman's ear, knowing that would startle her enough to get her to open her eyes.    
  
"Ow! What the fuck, Pru, I'm trying to sleep.." Arruin sniffed Prudence's hair "you smell like plants, shorty."   
  
Prudence snickered. "What did you think I spent my night doing, asshole?"   
  
Attained growled out a complaint, then yanked the covers of the bed out from under prudence and pulled the smaller elven women close to her.    
  
"You're such a sleaze, Pru." Arruin said.    
  
"Hey, I'm comfortable in my body and what I like to do. Romulus is one of those things." Prudence tapped her fingers against Arruins side, startling a laugh out of her. "Please don't be grumpy. Let's get up and go down to breakfast."   
  
Prudence snaked her way out of Arruins grip, then yanked the blankets off of her and threw her clothes on the bed before skipping out of the room and knocking on Evelyn, Lyle and Nathan's doors to get them all up for breakfast.    
  
Romulus was already sitting at the long table they'd sat at every meal, sipping their tea and talking with Sorrel in mind speech. The morning sunlight coming through the front windows of the Inn lit Rom's features in gold, catching pru's eyes as she set the table with food for the six of them. She heard Lyle come down the stairs, trailed by Evelyn and Arruin.   
  
"Good morning!" She said cheerfully, darting past them and to her room to grab her sketchbook, and practically running back to their table, slipping into her seat next between Romulus and Nathan.    
  
The group talked quietly, mapping out their plans for the day as they are, all while prudence tried to capture the events of her night in a drawing. Lines flowed from her pencil onto the page, and a drawing emerged. A somewhat feminine figure surrounded by blossoms and vines, carefully placed leaves. Prudence could feel Nathans eyes on her as she drew, but ignored it, writing a note on the bottom in elvish.    
  
She felt Romulus shift next to her, and they tapped her hand to get her attention. Lyle was asking her a question.   
  
"Pru? "   
  
"Yeah, sorry."    
  
"Should we go back to the castle or take care of the Orcs?"   
  
"You know me, I'm up for whatever."   
  
"Alright! Let's take today to get weapons and armor fixed and we'll head out at dawn tomorrow!" Lyle said, pleased.    
  
"In that case, I'm gonna go look for ingredients for poison. I'll see you later, guys." Prudence responded, noting the confused looks on Evelyn and Nathan's faces, and the slightly irritated one on Arruin's face as she got up from the table, grabbed her sketchbook, and went back to her room, closing her door behind her.   



	4. You Are Not My One, My Only

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Arruin snaps at Prudence, who tries to explain. Nathan sees something he shouldn't.

  
Three knocks sounded at her door, fast and hard, and Prudence could almost touch the irritation coming from the other side of it. Sighing, she opened the door and motioned for Arruin to come on, and could see the bewildered look on Rom's face from where they were sitting in the common room, and closed the door behind the taller woman.   
  
Before she could even open her mouth, Arruin spun around and shouted.    
  
"You can't just sleep with whoever, Prudence! "   
  
"Actually -" Prudence responded with a sigh, "I can, as long as we're both consenting ad-"   
  
"No, you don't GET it. You can't just HAVE someone one night and throw them out the next!"   
  
Prudence's ears twitched angrily.    
  
"I never made you any promises, Arruin. I never said we were a couple, or that I would only sleep with you. You need to relax."   
  
"I don't need to do ANYTHING!" Arruin snarled, clenching her fists. "Do you even think about the emotions of the people you do that to? Have you thought about how Ro-"   
  
"SHUT UP." Prudence yelled, startling Arruin into silence. She spoke in a much softer voice "First of all, everyone can hear you when you speak at that volume. Just because you know what happened between myself and Romulus last night, doesn't mean THEY want everyone else to know. Shame on you for not thinking about that."    
  
Arruin looked at the floor, and Prudence sighed, walking over and taking her hand.    
  
"Besides, Arruin... you know I'm married, right? My husband and I have an open marriage, and we've always been open like that. When I write him, I tell him everything. Please. Don't start yelling at me because I've been with someone else."   
  
"I just..."   
  
Prudence hugged her tightly. The top of her head didn't even touch Arruin's chin.    
  
"I'm sorry for yelling..."   
  
"Don't worry about it, hun." Prudence responded, letting her go.    
  
Arruin sat down on the bed, watching Prudence pack all but her essentials.    
  
"You're married? For how long?"   
  
"Since my 100th birthday - so 35 years, about?" She replied, stripping off her shirt to put on something more comfortable. "I was young, for an elf, but we both knew the other was the one we wanted to come home to..."    
  
She pulled on a thin dress, and pulled her hair up into a high ponytail.   
  
"Are you going to come with me to look for my ingredients?"   
  
"No, I've got some armor I need to fix. But I'll see you at dinner." Arruin said, getting up. Prudence grabbed her small knapsack with her gloves and small bags for storing the plants she found, and walked out of her room, Arruin trailing her and shutting the door behind them.   
  


  
Nathan and Romulus were still sitting at their table in the common room. Nathan turned his head away quickly in an attempt to hide the fact that he'd hear them yelling, while Romulus's face had the barest hint of pink.   
  
"Hey, Rom, do you think you could help me look for these plants?" Pru asked, slinging her bag over her shoulder, a suggestive note in her voice. "There's a couple I still have a bit of trouble identifying... "   
  
"Give me a moment, I'll be with you." Rom replied in mind speech, rising from their seat and heading towards their room. Prudence followed and slipped her hand around their neck as soon as they were out of Nathans sight, pulling them down and kissing them. As she pulled away she could see again a touch of pink in their cheeks.    
  
Suddenly, Romulus had her pinned to a wall, hands above her, their mouth on her neck. She stifled a moan, turned on by the sudden hunger she saw in Romulus's eyes as they met hers. They pressed their body against hers, kissing her greedily, and she placed her hands on their chest, while Rom slipped her own shirt off her shoulders.    
  
Someone cleared their throat in the hallway behind them, and Prudence yanked her shirt back on, as Rom hurriedly went to their room. Prudence locked eyes with Nathan and walked up to him, grabbing his shirt collar and yanking him down to her eye level.    
  
"You saw nothing, okay? Heard nothing, know nothing, about what just happened." She snarled quietly. He nodded, eyes somewhat fearful. Pru heard Romulus pass behind her and walk into the common room, and she followed, still looking back at Nathan.   
  
Nathan's gaze followed Romulus, then flicked back to Prudence, who raised an eyebrow at him before turning and walking out of the inn.    



	5. Rivers Flowing, Feelings Growing

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A supposed moment alone between Prudence and Romulus, who are not as alone as they think  
> (Song: https://youtu.be/orllmnQmDP0 )

She skipped out into the road, hearing Romulus following behind her, and followed it to the path the Priestess had told her lead to a meadow. She'd taken a look into the meadow a week or so prior to see if the plants she needed grew nearby, which they did, but what was more important to her was the meadow itself. In the center of the meadow, a huge tree grew, its roots and lower trunk covered in lichen and moss.    
  
They stepped onto the path, a worn dirt trail just wide enough for two people to walk abreast, and prudence slipped her hand into Romulus's. Trees soon surrounded them, the early summer sun glowing through leaves and shining down in small golden rays to hit the forest floor below, bathing them both in a golden green light, Their steps muffled by grass still damp with morning dew. It was beautiful, but not enough to distract her from finding what she was looking for.    
  
The first patch of plants she recognized was a flowering thistle growing around the base of a long dead tree, a plant that produced seeds filled with a toxic oil. She took mental note of their location, but they weren't what she was looking for.    
  
Ahead of them, the path opened up into the meadow, bright light reflected off the water of a stream making Prudence squint . Flowers of every color flourished in golden rays of sunlight around the edges of the meadow, slowly transitioning into a thick, springy moss.    
  
Prudence tugged at Romulus's hand, then dropped it and ran towards the center of the clearing, laughing, pulling her hair out of its ponytail, dropping her bag,and launching herself into a cartwheel, before landing on her back, out of breath. She watched as Romulus crossed the clearing, their fingertips trailing across petals and leaves of the taller plants, eyes towards the ground.    
  
"Come join me," she called from her bed of moss, reaching a hand out to Rom, who smiled and walked over to her, carefully sitting down next to her in the shade. Their hand brushed over hers, then up her arm, tracing the small silver patches on her elbow, then leaning down and kissing her carefully, fingers smoothing a strand of hair away from her face.    
  
As Rom pulled away from the kiss, prudence slid her fingers into their hair, pulling them back down to her, and snuggled into them.    
  
"You remind me of poetry," Prudence murmured into Roms chest, hands slipping down to their collar, then chest, unbuttoning their shirt.    
  
"Really? Give me an example." Rom replied, sounding amused.    
  
Prudence sat up, and leaned back on her hands, staring up at the leafy canopy above them for a moment, then closed her eyes and spoke:   
  
"When I consider everything that grows,   
Holds in perfection but a little moment;   
That this huge stage presenteth naught but shows,    
whereon the stars in secret influence comment. When I perceive that men, as plants increase,    
Cheered and cheque'd even by the self same sky,   
Vaunt, in their youthful sap at height decrease,    
And wear their brave state out of memory.   
Then the conceit of this inconsistent stay   
Sets you most rich in youth before my sight,   
Where wasteful Time debateth with Decay,   
To change your day of youth to sullied night."   
  
She looked at Romulus sidelong, finishing.   
  
"And all in war with Time for love of you,   
As he takes from you, I engraft you new."   
  
Romulus gazed up at her, eyes pondering. For just a moment, Prudence wished she could read their thoughts, learn what was going through their head for just a moment.    
  
"Fantasy Shakespeare?" Romulus finally asked.   
  
"Sonnet 15." Prudence replied quietly, "one of my favorites."   
  
Romulus sat up, not bothering to rebutton their shirt, and gently touched Prudence's hand.    
  
"Can I ask for another poem?" Their voice chimed quietly in Prudence's mind. She tilted her head, thinking, then smiled.   
  
"I can do you one better," she said, then hummed to find a starting note before singing:   
  
Still will I harvest beauty where it grows,   
In colored fungus and the spotted fog.   
Surprised on foods forgotten, in ditch and bog.   
Filmed brilliant, with irregular rainbows   
Of rust and oil; where half the city throws   
It's empty tins; and in some spongy log   
Whence headlong leaps the oozy emerald frog,    
And a blah pupil in the green scum shows.   
  
Her, the inhabiter of diverse places, surmising at all doors, I push them all.   
Oh you, that fearful of a creaking hinge,   
Turn back forevermore with craven faces.   
I tell you beauty bears an ultra fringe,    
Unguessed of you upon her gossamer shawl"   
  
  
  
She smiled as she finished, her voice ringing clear on the last note.    
  
"It sounds better with a group," she said with a rueful grin, not meeting Rom's eyes.    
  
She was surprised to hear Romulus applauding her, and turned to stare at them, confused. They were grinning, inexplicably happy, it seemed. Prudence blushed, then tackled them, covering their face with kisses and laughing.   
  
"I thought we came here looking for plants?" Romulus chuckled from underneath her.    
  
"What, you don't count as a plant, Greentongue?" Prudence responded, kissing the exposed skin of their chest, and they drew a sharp breath, hands digging into the moss below them. Pru snickered and dragged her fingers down their chest, their stomach, and traced lines along their hips.    
  
Suddenly, Prudence stopped, then slid off of Rom and grabbed her bow, swiftly stringing it and notching an arrow, ears twitching slightly. They heard the familiar sound of an arrow being loosed from their right, and Rom ducked, just barely avoiding an arrow that thumped into the tree trunk. Prudence loosed her arrow in the direction the shot came from, then yanked the enemy's arrow from the tree and shot that as well.    



	6. We Travelled Down This Path, Unknowing

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Prudence is badly injured; Romulus takes her back to the Inn

A flash of red in the brush explained who was attacking. Prudence snarled in annoyance and yanked a dagger from her belt, running towards their attacker and doing her best to dodge arrows, and disappeared into the brush as well.    
  
Prudence was filled with a strange mixture of emotions - Rage and amusement being the most prominent. She wondered how long it had taken them to find Iarno, naked and hog tied in his room, wondered how long they waited before untying him. She snickered at the thought of him calling for help, his henchman doing nothing to get him out of his mess-   
  
A blade sliced open a deep wound in her shoulder, yanking her back into the present, and she cried out. Prudence stabbed at the attacker, catching them in the navel, and yanked her blade up, slicing up through their stomach to disembowel them.    
  
She stumbled back into the edge of the clearing and collapsed into the flowers below her, seeing Rom running towards her.    
  
"Prudence!" Their voice rang with worry in her head, and she groaned. She must be bleeding pretty heavily, she thought, for mind speech to make her head spin.    
  
"It's okay, Prudence, you're going to be fine." Rom said, helping her to sit up, eyes only revealing the slightest bit of worry. "I'll get you back to the inn- can you walk?"    
  
"I don't know -" she whimpered, discomforted by the amount of pain she was in. "We need to stop the bleeding, i-"   
  
Romulus cut her off with a sudden, aggressive kiss, casting a healing spell on her shoulder, stopping the bleeding and mostly closing up the wound. Prudence melted into them, clutching the hem of their shirt with a hand.    
  
"Come on, wrap your good arm around my waist. We'll get you back safe." Rom's voice was much quieter in her mind now, no longer making her head spin. Prudence's pack was already slung over their shoulder, she noticed, but didn't say anything, too dizzy to comment. She slipped her uninjured arm around Rom's waist, and they helped her to stand.    
  
They walked quickly and carefully back to the path, on high alert. Prudence kept her dagger in her hand, gripping the hilt tightly. Each step made her dizzier, but she managed to stumble her way down the main road with Romulus's help, before finally collapsing as they reached the inn.    
  
Sorrel came flying out of the inn, and landed on Romulus's shoulder. They shared a conversation in mind speech, and sorrel flew off towards the blacksmith, presumably, Prudence thought, to get Arruin. Nathan walked out of the inn, saw what was happening, and immediately came to help.    



	7. Is Love The Poison In My Veins?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A long dream.

  
Her eyes fluttered, and she groaned. A cool hand smoothed hair away from her forehead, but she couldn't make out their face, only the golden color of their eyes.   
  
"Wynnie?" She whispered. "Wynnie, I love you, I promise I'll be home soon..."   
  
"She's still delirious" a deep voice said   
  
"It's the poison. She needs to sweat it out. Can you get more hot bricks for me, please, Nathan?" The second voice was lighter, a touch of humor lingering in her words.   
  
Her eyes closed, and she dreamed.   
  
She dreamed of her wedding day, walking down the aisle to Everwyn, who looked handsome in a robe of white and gold embroidered silk. The train of her lace gown dragged behind her, her bare feet cool on the cobblestones of the courtyard. Her soon to be sister in law stood next to where she would soon be standing, beaming at her.    
  
It gave her courage. She stepped confidently down the aisle, her gaze locked on the most precious person in her life, and next to him, Azroen, the young elf she'd found dumped in the street when he was a babe and she hardly more than an elf child herself. She and Wynnie had raised him as their own, dealt with his bad behavior, his achievements, just as any other parents would. And he was beaming at her too.    
  
She stepped up onto the alter...   


Suddenly the world spun around her, and the scenery changed. She was sitting on a stage, with her harp.

The music flowed through Prudence like magic, coursing through her veins, out her fingers and becoming the notes she plucked from each harp string. She didn’t need to have her eyes open to play - it would only make her nervous. The royal family was in attendance, and she was to be presented to them the next week at the Midsummer Ball. She wanted to make a good impression, and would allow no room for any mistakes in her playing. 

She plucked the final notes of the piece, and let out a breath she didn’t know she’d been holding. The audience Applauded, and she rose carefully from her seat to stand next to the conductor, looking around the theater for her grandmother and aunts. But her gaze was drawn by the box occupied by the royal family, and the golden haired boy who leapt to his feet with applause. 

She knew who that was - Everwynn Allegra, youngest of the triplets, heir to the throne.

Everwynn was applauding  _ her _ . Enthusiastically, too. A huge smile spread across his face as their eyes met, and she felt her face flush. She bowed, quickly, and walked off the stage as fast as she could. Her world faded to black.


	8. I Dreamed of Seeing You Again

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Waking up, and dreaming again.   
> The song they dance to: https://youtu.be/w54-z6zpEWg

The last clear thing Prudence remembered was hearing a curse from Nathan, him picking her up, carrying her to her room, and a brief moment in which Romulus was sitting on her floor, watching her.   
  
She coughed, her throat unbelievably dry. Someone helped her sit up, and passed her a mug of a sweet smelling drink, which she sipped at carefully.   
  
"Thank you" she croaked, as soon as she felt she could speak without coughing.   
  
"I was worried about you, pru." Romulus chimed in her head. "We were all worried about you."  
  
"What happened to me?" Prudence asked, looking up now at the person helping her - the priestess who had taught her about poisons.   
  
"Well, you were attacked by one of those red cloaked thugs, and one of them had a weapon that was tipped in poisons. Quite an impressive cocktail of them, too. I'm honestly shocked you lived through it, but you must have had the worst of it cleaned out when Romulus healed your shoulder." The priestess responded, then stood and nodded at them "I'll leave you two now."  
  
As soon as the door was closed, Romulus was at her side, their hands on her face, forehead pressed to hers.   
  
"I was so, so worried..." Their voice came as a whisper in her mind.  
  
"Did you really think some poisons would take me out, love?" She mumbled, smiling.   
  
Romulus shook their head, and kissed her nose.   
  
"How long have I been out?" Pru asked, taking another sip of her sweet drink.  
  
"A few days. We went and took out a couple more of those... Thugs, while you were asleep." Romulus replied, their voice suddenly tad shy. "You, ah... You talk in your sleep. You talked a lot. About a lot of things. Uh. Pru..."  
  
"Okay, let me explain," Prudence sighed "one, I'm married, I have been for several decades now, and, two, we have an open marriage. Our relationship has always been like that. He's the one I'll always go home to, and I'm the same for him, but we like.... Variety. "  
  
Rom raised an eyebrow, and Prudence responded,   
  
" You aren't just variety, Romulus. I genuinely like you. Im sorry I didn't bring it up before... I hope this doesn't change how you feel."  
  
She felt herself tiring again, and settled more comfortably in her bed, struggling to keep her eyes open.   
  
" I'm only a little bit upset with you, prudence. Not enough to stay angry. Never enough to hate you. " Rom replied quietly, then sat next to her on the bed. "Want some company?"   
  
Prudence nodded and yawned, and rom took the cup from her and placed it on the nightstand, then lay down next to her.  
  
  
  
  
When prudence awoke, Romulus was sound asleep, with their head resting on her chest, their breathing calm and even. The moonlight filtered into the room through open curtains, turning Rom's skin silver. She smiled and closed her eyes again, still weak enough that she physically needed sleep.  
  
And as she slept, she dreamed.  
  
-  
  
Candles, and magelights of every imaginable color lit the ballroom, a small group of musicians playing at the front of the room, faceless people dancing all around her. Her gown was purple, all velvet and cascading layers blossoming around her like the petals of a flower turned to face the ground. She was dancing with some faceless nobleman, who lifted her easily, spun, and set her lightly on her feet, then bowed and slipped into the crowd. She looked around, left without a partner with which to dance.   
  
Then the lights flickered, and went dark. Her eyes adjusted to the sudden change easily, but she cast a mage light of her own to stay her sudden unease.   
  
The ballroom was empty, a layer of dust on nearly every surface, suits of armor lay collapsed on the floor of their holes in the wall. But across the room from her stood Romulus, in the same long cloak she’d grown used to seeing them in, a soft smile on their face. She beckoned to them, and they strode across the dance floor.  
  
“May I have this dance?” Their voice chimed in her head.   
  
“It would be my pleasure,” she responded with a grin, taking their offered hand  
  
“Ah, but we have no music to dance to.”   
  
“Leave it to me.” She responded, smiling. This was, after all, a dream. With a wave of her hand, a string quartet appeared, playerless instruments which tuned themselves accordingly as Romulus led Prudence to the center of the ballroom, striking into a waltz as the pair reached their places.   
  
Pru slid her hand onto Rom's shoulder, letting them lead the dance, appreciating that they took smaller steps to accommodate for her size. The music playing was hauntingly familiar to her, like something she'd heard as a child, but she couldn't quite place where she knew it from. But it was sweet, and beautiful, and exactly what she needed to hear.   
  
"Why, dear Prudence, did everyone else disappear?" Romulus asked as the song ended, slipping their arms around her waist.  
  
"I haven't the slightest idea, Rom." She responded, motioning at the instruments to play another piece. "Why do you ask?"  
  
  
  
They danced slowly, Prudence slipping her arms around Romulus's neck, looking up at them with curiosity.   
  
"Well... This is your dream, after all. You could have dreamed of all your family being here, of dancing with your husband and being admired by many... But instead, it's you and me, alone."  
  
She smiled up at them.   
  
"I've had plenty of dreams of dancing with him, and I know I'll dance with him again someday. But I don't know if I'll ever dance with you outside of my dreams. I mean..." She paused, eyes fluttering, feeling heat bloom on her cheeks like a rose. "I would love for you all to come to Neverwinter and spend some time with me at court. But I know that's unlikely. I could try and entice you with all sorts of things, but nothing would make you stay. I'll keep my romantic notions in my dreams for now, Romulus, and do my best to be a good friend to you and the others outside of them."  
  
The room went black, the floor disappeared beneath her, and she was floating, Romulus standing on unseen ground several feet away from her.   
  
"What makes you think you're not already a good friend? You got me out of a dungeon, you do your best not to hurt animals, you've changed from who you were, Prudence. Give yourself some room to breathe. You're a good person..."  
  
They disappeared, leaving her floating in the dark. She felt eyes watching her, and twisted her body to try and see who was watching her, to no avail. She heard the cruel laughter of the children who had shoved her to the ground as a child, and suddenly was falling, landing hard on her stomach, knocking the wind from her lungs. She scrambled to her feet, suddenly wild with fear. The laughter echoed all around her, disorienting her even further as she whipped her head this way and that, trying to find the source. The scene slowly became clear before her. She was trapped, cornered, this time not by other children, but by monsters she had never seen before, mouths lined with sharp teeth and eyes filled with hunger and rage.   
  
"Freak"   
"Mutant"  
"You'll never be good enough"  
  
She felt her heart begin to race, a desperate fight or flight response welling up in her chest, and she tried to run. A clawed hand whipped out and caught her by the ankle, tripping her. She could feel blood trickling down to her boots, but got up and tried again to run. The laughter grew louder, as appendages dragged her down, pinning her to the ground and digging claws into her flesh   
  
She cried out in pain, and screamed -  
  



	9. Send A Message to My Mother

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Finally, the poison is out of Prudence's system - but the world has other things to throw her way

Her eyes opened suddenly, her body shaking, only to find sunlight streaming into the room, her head on Romulus's lap, their hands twined in her hair. She shifted her body so she could look up at them.    
  
"You're awake. Good, I was.. I was worried" their voice chimed anxiously in her mind. "You're trembling... Pru, are you alright?"   
  
"I feel much better," prudence replied, taking a deep breath and smiling up at Romulus. They smiled back down at her, then leaned down and kissed her forehead gently. She felt herself stop trembling at their touch.    
  
"you don't dream walk, do you Romulus?" Prudence asked, reaching up to tuck a stray lock of hair behind their ear.   
  
"I mean... Theoretically, I could, I guess. But I don't. I wouldn't like to have someone invading my dreams any more than you would." They grinned. "Why, were you dreaming of me?"    
  
"Oh hush, you!" Prudence responded, flapping her hand at them with a cross look on her face. She sat up carefully, feeling a bit dizzy.    
  
A knock sounded on the door, and Evelyn peeked in.    
  
"Oh good! You're awake. We've got food out here - you should eat something, since you've been in dreamland for so long."   
  
"Thanks, Ev. I'll be out in a second. Rom?"   
  
"I'm going to stay here and make sure you don't faint before you get to the table, thank you very much." They replied with a nod at Evelyn, who grinned and closed the door.    
  
Prudence walked over to the desk in the corner of the room, where she had lain her clothes before she'd been poisoned. She'd noticed that someone had changed her out of the dress she'd been wearing when attacked into a slip, which she now slid over her head carefully, feeling Rom's eyes on her from across the room.    
  
"You really are beautiful, Pru." Their voice came quietly into her mind, almost shy.    
  
She smiled, turning to face them.    
  
"So are you, Rom. I hope you know that."   
  
The lightest shade of pink blossomed on their cheeks and they looked away from Pru, who went back to dressing. She took note of her mobility, which was nearly back to normal. She wanted desperately to get out of the inn and travel, to feel sunlight on her skin.    
  
She slipped into her clothing, and quickly braided her hair to keep it out of her face, and was about to stand when she felt tiny claws gripping her hair. She smiled.    
  
"Hello, sorrel. Can I help you?"   
  
"You shook in your sleep. Are you sure you're okay?" Their voice echoed the worry she'd heard from Romulus earlier.    
  
"Just a fever dream, that's all. Im sure I'll be fine as soon as we're on our way. But thank you, both of you, for worrying. I appreciate it."   
  
Sorrel detangled himself from her head, and flew over to land on Romulus's shoulder, wrapping around their neck. She stood, and together she, Rom, and Sorrel left the room to join their group.    
  
As they approached their usual table, Prudence noticed that someone new had joined their table. No, not one person, but two. A head of waist length copper hair faced away from her, while across from them, dark brown eyes flitted up to meet hers, and widened. She stopped in her tracks, recognizing the two.    
  
"Yuci? Efa? What- are you doing here?"


	10. I'll Write A Poem For My Lover

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Prudence has a chat with her in-laws

Yuciayr leaped to his feet and rushed over to her, grabbing her tightly in a hug, a very unusual move for her normally stoic and surly brother-in-Law.    
  
She hugged him back, surprised by his open display of affection after years of having to suffer through the tension between him and Everwynn anytime the triplets were together.    
  
“Mother has been most worried about you, dearest sister.” Yuciayr said quietly, letting her go and holding her at arms length.    
  
“You forgot to mention that you’ve been worried as well, brother dearest” Efaria chimed from her seat at the table, peering over her shoulder at her brother and their sister-in-Law.   
  
“Yuci would never admit to missing me, let alone being worried about me.” Prudence laughed. “I see you’ve met my companions - I hope you haven’t been causing them much trouble?”    
  
“None at all!” Lyle said, grinning at her. “Good to see you’re up again. Think you’d be okay to travel today?”   
  
“Of course,” Prudence replied, holding a hand out to steady her sister in law as she rose from her seat. “Pardon us for just a moment - I must speak with my siblings.”    
  
Without waiting for an answer, she took Yuci and Efa’s hands and pulled them back to her room, shutting the door behind her. She took a deep breath before turning to face them.    
  
“Explain. Sooner, rather than later, please.”   
  
“It is as Yuci said,” Efa replied calmly. “Mother has been worried sick about you. She saw trouble for you in a dream and declared that we must be sent to find you. Thankfully, your correspondence with Wynnie gave us the location we needed...”   
  
“It seems as if we arrived late, hm?” Yuci continued in a bored drawl, examining a lock of his hair instead of looking at Pru. “Mother asks that you return as soon as possible, but understands that you have a job to finish.”   
  
“Tell Corrypta that I appreciate her concern, Yuci. Once I have finished my task, I will return home, though perhaps briefly. May I ask something of the two of you?”   
  
Efa’s ears twitched in interest, and yuci’s eyes left the lock of hair he’d been twirling in his fingers to meet prudence’s gaze. When they acted like this, it was easy to see how they and Everwynn were triplets. They made her homesick, these two.    
  
“Tell the court that when I return home, I will be bringing... companions with me.” She said, picking her words carefully “also... might you send my way any tidbit of gossip regarding a Janus? They’ve been causing quite a deal of trouble for us lately.”   
  
The pair looked at each other, then back to her, and nodded. She knew she needn’t ask them for their silence. The triplets lived for secrets and gossip, Yuciayr more than the younger two.    
  
Prudence opened the door to her room and ushered her two older in-laws out, walking with them back to the common room. The pair took the seats they had occupied, for once in their lives not trying to interrupt the conversations taking place at the table. Prudence slipped into a spot between Romulus and Nathan, sighing quietly.   
  
“Something wrong?” Romulus asked, voice quiet even in her mind.    
  
“I’m just unnerved. Those two are my husbands older siblings - they’re triplets - Efa is alright, but Yuciayr drives me up a wall.” She replied, using Message to be sure her in-laws didn’t hear her.    
  
One of the serving girls came over and slipped a bowl of stew in front of Prudence, who smiled in thanks up at her. She hadn’t realized how hungry she was until she smelled the stew, and dug into her food eagerly, listening to the conversation around her.    
  
Lyle and Efa were deep in conversation about swords, and Yuci was talking quietly with Evelyn and Arruin, their heads close together. Nathan, sitting next to Prudence, was studying a map of the region, seeming to be lost in thought. Romulus was writing a letter, but for once Prudence didn’t feel nosy enough to try and read it. Instead, as she ate she thought over her nightmare. She could not, for the life of her, figure out what had triggered it, though she wondered if it had been the gods trying to tell her something.   
  
Her eyes wandered the room, and she took in the faces of her companions, a group she’d grown quite close to in a remarkably short amount of time. She loved them, this strange family she had found herself in.    
  
She finished her food and stood, collecting the empty dishes of Evelyn and Arruin as well, and brought them into the kitchen, her friend the serving girl taking them from her and shooing her back into the common room with a smile.    
  
As she re-entered the room, Efa rose from her seat, excusing herself from her conversation with Lyle, and approached Prudence.   
  
“Walk with me a moment, Pru.” She murmured quietly, offering her arm. Prudence took the offered arm, curious, and let Efa lead her out of the inn. They walked in silence for a few minutes, Efa taking in the surroundings, before she spoke.    
  
“You’ve probably guessed that we didn’t just come here to tell you how much our mother misses you, or on her whim.” Efa said gently, as they walked down the road.    
  
“I’ve known you two for so long, it wasn’t hard to figure out that there were other reasons for your sudden appearance here.” Prudence murmured, looking up at Efa. She was even more beautiful than the last time they’d been together, if that was even possible. A spattering of freckles had appeared on her golden complexion, and her copper hair shone in the sun.    
  
“I’m sure Wynnie told you in his last letter...” Efa smiled, then lowered her voice. “there’s been a man at court inquiring about you, and we became concerned... but, Prudence...”   
  
“What is it?” Pru asked, suddenly concerned   
  
“He’s impossibly tall, his skin is silver, his eyes are like the moon- Prudence, he matches everything you told us you remembered of your father. “   
  
Prudence stopped in her tracks, feeling her heart pounding in her chest.    
  
“His name is Imprius... Prudence, he may be your father. He asked me to give you this -“ she pulled a small scroll from the pocket of her skirts, and handed it to her. “Yuci doesn’t know he asked me to give this to you, you know he would have looked at it if I’d told him...”   
  
“Do you think it’s really him?” Prudence whispered, holding the scroll carefully. She saw Efa nod, and clutched the scroll to her chest.    
  
"Efa! Pru!"    
  
The girls turned to see Yuci gesturing for them to return to the inn. The rest of Pru's companions were on the porch, checking weapons and armor one last time before they headed out. Lyle had Prudence's bag and weapons, and was setting them gently on the ground for her to retrieve.    
  
Prudence took Efa's hands in her own and gripped them tightly, looking up at her. The two had always been able to communicate with a glance, a trait they still had. Efa pulled her hands out of Pru's grasp, and hugged her tightly.    
  
"I hope you come home soon, Pru. I miss having you at court. And Wynnie misses you too, of course." She whispered, giving Pru one last squeeze before letting go and walking with her back to the Inn.   
  
As they approached, Prudence saw Yuci leading two familiar looking, bronze colored horses, with golden manes and tails. One had a white star in their forehead, while the other had white socks.   
  
"Is that- is that Gola and Cera?" Prudence asked, walking up to Yuci.    
  
"One and the same," he replied, adjusting the saddle on his gelding, Gola, who whinnied at him, and sucked in a breath. Prudence laughed, as Yuci glared at his horse and spoke with frustration.    
  
"That trick is old, Gola, come now. You don't want to misbehave in front of Prudence, do you?"    
  
Gola's ears pricked up and forward, and he turned to look at Prudence as though examining her, before seeming to recognize her. He took a step forward and leaned his head down, touching his muzzle to her forehead affectionately.    
  
"Hey handsome," Prudence whispered, blowing gently into his nostrils in greeting. "I haven't seen you since you were a foal."    
  
She heard Cera come up behind her, and turned in time to keep the mare from eating a lock of her hair. She chuckled and patted Cera’s neck in familiarity. The two horses had been mischief makers when they were younger, possessing an intelligence that was almost unnerving. Once, they’d managed to get into the palace, and were found in an empty ballroom by staff, after a servant has heard hoof steps from down the corridor. 

Prudence watched as her siblings-in-Law mounted their horses with ease, and felt a pang in her chest. Just previous to her departure from neverwinter, her own horse, Moonschild, had fallen ill. Moonschild was the grand sire of these two, and was loved dearly by Prudence. She’d slept in the stable loft above his stall for a month, trying to nurse him back to health. But one night he lay down as she sat in his stall, rested his head on her lap, and took his last breath. 

She’d left a week later, leaving a letter in the stall addressed to Wynnie, departing in the dead of night.

“Pru?” Efa said, calling her out of her memories. “We have something else for you and your companions.”

Yuci dug into his saddlebags, pulling out a pouch that was heavy with coin, and tossed it to Lyle, who caught it easily.

“Mother asked us to ensure that your company had adequate funds to arm and outfit yourselves appropriately. Use that as you see fit.”


End file.
